6th Grade Field Trip: Calvert Marine Museum

Our team is planning a field trip for the 6th grade Fusion Team students to Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, MD and Calvert Cliffs State Park in Marbury, MD on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. The cost of the trip for students will be $35.00. Checks can be made payable to Bennett Middle School. Please return permission slip and trip money to Mr.McCrobie no later than Friday, October 30th, 2015. Students will start to recieve the field trip letter on 10/13/15. Another copy can be found at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-18JOqyPQcsUXV0SGRmXzBKNFU/view?usp=sharing

Homework Response Posts

A friendly reminder that a discussion question has been added to Edmodo, and is due by Friday for 6th and 7th grade. 8th Grade students should finish their document analysis through Edmodo by Friday. 

7th Grade Field Trip!

ATTENTION 7TH GRADE: Our team is planning a field trip for the 7th Grade Fusion students to Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia on Thursday, October 15th. The cost for this trip for students will be $35. Checks can be made payable to Bennett Middle School. Please return permission slip and money to Mrs. Fodor no later than Thursday, October 1st.  Below is a link to the form.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-18JOqyPQcsTExYNTZKVEZYbjg/view?usp=sharing 

Edmodo

A friendly reminder that a discussion question has been added to Edmodo, and is due by Friday.

6th and 7th STEM Saturdays!

Please visit the following link if you are a 6th or 7th grader for a STEM Saturday opportunity!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-18JOqyPQcsXzRpVmtuS1VqaGs/view?usp=sharing

8th Grade: Program at a Glance!

Wicomico County’s eighth grade social studies curriculum includes several content areas, which focus on the study of World History. This course is a continuation of where 6^th Grade Ancient History left off. Through the course, students study the Roman Empire, Medieval Times, the Americas, Exploration and Conquest, and Renaissance and Reformation. As a result of this study, students will be able to develop values and habits which will help them become critical thinking citizens who contribute to our democracy. In order to become critical thinking citizens who contribute to our democracy, students need to be prepared for post-secondary study and the 21^st century workforce. To accomplish this, this course will utilize a STEM instructional approach. STEM education is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students will engage in inquiry, logical reasoning, collaboration, and investigation through hands-on-learning and project-based-learning experiences. For more information on the course expectations, as well as units of study, please visit the links below.

• Classroom Guidelines/ Expectations
• Unit Outline

7th Grade: Program at a Glance!

In seventh grade, students study US History. Students learn about the important people, ideas, and events that brought about the formation of the American nation and shaped the culture and the political and economic institutions from Colonial Times through the Civil War. As a result of this study, students will be able to develop values and habits which will help them become critical thinking citizens who contribute to our democracy. In order to become critical thinking citizens who contribute to our democracy, students need to be prepared for post-secondary study and the 21st century workforce. To accomplish this, this course will utilize a STEM instructional approach. STEM education is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students will engage in inquiry, logical reasoning, collaboration, and investigation through hands-on-learning and project-based-learning experiences. For more information on the course expectations, as well as units of study, please visit the links below.

• Classroom Guidelines/ Expectations
• Unit Outline

6th Grade: Program at a Glance!

Welcome to 6th Grade! Wicomico County’s sixth grade social studies curriculum includes several content areas, which focus on the study of Ancient World History from the earliest cultures and civilizations to Ancient Greece. As a result of this study, students will be able to develop values and habits which will help them become critical thinking citizens who contribute to our democracy. In order to become critical thinking citizens who contribute to our democracy, students need to be prepared for post-secondary study and the 21st century workforce. To accomplish this, this course will utilize a STEM instructional approach. STEM education is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students will engage in inquiry, logical reasoning, collaboration, and investigation through hands-on-learning and project-based-learning experiences. For more information on the course expectations, as well as units of study, please visit the links below.

• Classroom Guidelines/ Expectations
• Unit Outline

8th Grade/ Fact v. Legend?

Homework Response Post [Due by Fri. 5/15]:
How do historians decide what is fact and what is legend?

7th Grade/ Tensions Between North and South!

Homework Response Post [Due Friday, 5/15/15]:
Brainstorm, and explain three tensions between the North and South that could have led to the Civil War.

6th Grade/ Block Printing!

Homework Response Post [Due Friday, 5/15/15]:
How does wood block printing compare to other methods of communication?

6th Grade/ Inventions!

Homework Response Question:
How does geography effect the things invented in certain regions? Explain your answer!

7th Grade/ Point of View!

Homework Response Question:
Write a paragraph from the point of view of either a slave, plantation owner, or white planter without slaves. 

8th Grade/ Castle!

Homework Response Question:
What was the purpose of the Castle in the Middle Ages? Was it to show wealth, to protect the King, or was it simply a living space? Defend your opinion with evidence.

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6th Grade/ Shi Huangdi!

Homework Response Question:
List two ways that Shi Huangdi unified China. Explain how these would be helpful.

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8th Grade/ Feudal Society!

Homework Response Question:
How would society during a Zombie Apocalypse compare to Feudal Society in the middle ages?

7th Grade/ Farewell Address!

Homework Response Question:
In your opinion, did Washington's warning in his farewell address come true? Explain!

6th Grade/ Great Wall!

Homework Response Question:
How did the creation of the Great Wall of China impact common Chinese Citizens?

7th Grade/ Checks and Balances!

Homework Discussion Post [Due Friday, 4/17]:
Explain the term "Checks and Balances" and explain how the three branches of Government use it. Be sure to give one example per branch.

6th Grade/ China Geography!

Homework Discussion Post [Due by Friday, 4/17]:
How does Geography influence the food in China? How is it different in different areas?

8th Grade/ Architecture!

Homework Response Question [Due by Friday, 4/10/15]:
Compare Greece and Rome to the Architecture in Washington D.C. How are they similar? What architectural elements do you see in each?

7th Grade/ Constitutional Convention!

Homework Response Question [Due by Friday 4/10]:
What compromises emerged from the Constitutional Convention?

6th Grade/ Religion!

Homework Response Post [Due by Friday 4/10]:
How does religion influence daily life?
- Make sure to reference Buddhism and Hinduism as an example on influencing those in Ancient India.
- Feel free to use your own as well for an example. 

8th Grade/ Fall of Rome

From 50 BCE until the year 200 CE, the Roman Empire was the superpower of the Mediterranean world. During that time, the empire’s wealth, territory and international status grew and grew. But even as the empire prospered, it was slowly starting to fall apart. Some of its problems were internal- coming from within Rome itself- and others were external. Our next investigation explores the factors that led to the eventual fall of one of history’s most powerful and influential empires. This will allow us to answer the question: what were the primary reasons for the “fall” of Rome?  

Homework Response Question [Due by Friday, 3/20/15]:

What were the primary reasons for the "fall" of Rome? 

7th Grade/ Declaration of Independence!

The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in history. Many national independence movements have used the principles expressed in this document as a rationale for breaking free from tyrannical leaders. Many people have used the principles to underline the need for their own civil or human rights. In the next few class periods, you will use the Discovery Education Techbook to trace and summarize key events that resulted in the colonists’ decision to declare independence from Great Britain and explain how the Declaration of Independence outlines basic ideas about the purpose and responsibilities of government. By the end of the week, you should have a complete evaluation of your techbook experience (both from class, and from your own exploration at home), and completed the essential question below:


Homework Discussion Post [Due by Friday, Feb. 27, 2015]:
How does the Declaration of Independence reflect the colonist’s ideas about government?

8th Grade/ From Republic to Empire!

The expansion of Roman power took place over approximately five hundred years, from 509 B.C.E. to 14 C.E. At the start of this period, Rome was a tiny republic in central Italy. Five hundred years later, it was the thriving center of a vast empire. At its height, the Roman Empire included most of Europe, together with North Africa, Egypt, much of the present-day Middle East, and Asia Minor.

The growth of Rome’s power happened gradually, and it came at a price. Romans had to fight countless wars to defend their growing territory and to conquer new lands. Along the way, Rome itself changed. The Romans had once been proud to be governed under a republic of elected leaders. Their heroes were men who had helped to preserve the republic. By 14 C.E., the republic was just a memory. Power was in the hands of a single supreme ruler, the emperor. Romans even worshiped the emperor as a god.

In the class periods to come, you’ll see how this dramatic change occurred. You’ll trace the gradual expansion of Roman power. You will also explore the costs of this expansion, both for Romans and for the people they conquered.

Homework Discussion Post [Due by Friday, Feb. 27, 2015]:

Did the benefits of Roman Expansion outweigh the costs? Explain, and respond to your classmates posts. 

6th Grade/ Pyramid Design Challenge #1

It is 2580 B.C. You and your team have been hired by Pharaoh Khufu as one of several teams of royal engineers who will potentially build his pyramid. To test your engineering skills, Khufu has designed a challenge where your team will have to build a mini pyramid out of every-day materials. After your team has been provided the materials, and the time to build your pyramid you will answer a series of discussion questions. After you have answered these questions, please complete the following homework discussion question: 

Homework Discussion Post [Due by Friday, Feb. 27, 2015]:

What was the biggest challenge your group faced? Were you able to overcome it? If yes, how did you overcome it? Make sure to read and respond to each others posts.